Apparatus for raising sunken vessels.



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Patented Aug. 8,1899. M. JONES.

APPARATUS FOB RAISING SUNKEN VESSLS.

(Application led Nov. B, 1898.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARS-HALL JONES, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

I APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,542, dated August 8, 1899.

Application illed November 8, 1898. Serial No. 695,851. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARSHALL JONES, of Boston, in the county of Suolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Raising Sunken Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of raising sunken vessels; and it has for its object to 'provide simple and easily-applied apparatus by means of which vessels may be quickly and cheaply raised.

In carrying out theinvention I propose to introduce into the hull of the submerged vessel a quantity of buoyant bodies which by displacingthe water in the vessel will increase the buoyancy of the same and cause it to rise to the surface. t

My invention/will be readily understood from the succeeding description and claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichf Figure l represents a perspective and sectional view illustrating the operation of my improved apparatus and showing the sunken vessel, the vessel or ship from which operations are conducted, and the chute or guide.

skeleton form or other Fig. 2 represents a View in section and side elevation, illustrating a form of apparatus for forcing thebuoyant bodies through the chute.

The same reference characters indicate thev same parts in .both igures.

C Referring to the drawings, a designates the hull of a submerged Vessel,- b designates the vessel from which operations' are conducted, and c designates a guide or chute extending from the vessel b to the vessel a and having its upper end supported from the former, while its lower end is inserted inside the hull of the sunken vessel a. The chute c maybe of tubular form, as shown, or it may be of construction suitable for the guidance of al column of buoyant bodies. A portion of the chute is preferably made flexible to allow for the motion of the ship b in aseaway.

d CZ represent a series of hollow air-tight metal balls or cans of spherical form and of diameter slightly smaller than the interior of 5o the tube c, so'as to readily pass therethrough.

v accessible point The cans d are contained in a 4column in the tube c,which column is propelled downwardly to cause the balls to emerge from the lower end of the chute by means of mechanism constructed as follows: On opposite sides of the chute and arranged to project thereinto through slots c' c' are two feed-wheels e e, mounted upon suitably-journaled shafts e e'. The peripheries of these wheels are provided with teeth e2 e, and between said teeth the peripheries are curved or hollowed to conform to the contour of the balls d. On the shafts ot"v the wheels e e are secured intermeshing gear-wheels e3 e3, and on one of said shafts is secured a beltpulley e4, driven by a belt f, which connects with a suitable motor. The said pulley is rotated continuously by the motor in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, and the feed-wheels are thereby positively rotated and coact, as represented in the said ligure, to'engage the balls in succession and force the column of balls down the tube. The upper portion of the tube c, which is represented in Fig. 2 as bent at an angle tothe main portion, is filled with balls and constitutes areservoir or chute from which the balls are fed into the said lower portion. The balls may be placed by hand or other means directly .in this chute, or they may pass thereinto from a larger receptacle provided for the purpose. The return of the column of balls up the tube, due to the pressure of the water in the' submerged part of said tube, is prevented by the action of the feed mechanism so long as the latter is in motion; but as an additional check one of the shafts e may be provided with a ratchet c5, engaged by ai pivoted checkpawl e6. The balls d are ejected in a steady stream from thelower end of the tube c, and as they emerge each one seeks the highest in the submerged vessel or the compartment of said vessel in which the tube is situated. The lower end of the tube is placed as far down in said compartment as possible, so as to fill or nearly iill the same with the buoyant receptacles and displace as far as possible the water therein. After one compartment has been illed the feed is stopped, the chute transferred to another compartment, and the operation proceeded with as before until a sufficient amount of water has been displaced from the vessel to cause it to ioat.

In applying the apparatus to submerged. vessels divers maybe employed, if necessary, to adjust the lower end of the chute in the vessel, said chute being inserted through the hatches of the vessel or other convenient openings, while openings through which the buoyant bodies might escape are closed over as much as possible.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiment herein shown and described, but includes the various modifications which will readily be sliggested to those possessing ordinary m'eehanical skill.

I claim- 1. An apparatus for raising slinken vessels, comprising a guide adapted to be positioned in the vessel, a quantity of buoyant bodies, and means for propelling said bodies along the guide into the vessel.

2. An apparatus for raising sunken vessels, comprising a guide adapted to be positioned in the vessel, a quantity of buoyant bodies, a reservoir or receptacle for said bodies, and means for transferring said bodies from the reservoir to the guide and propelling them along said guide into the vessel.

An apparatus for raising sunken vessels, comprising a guide adapted to have its end positioned in the vessel, a quantity o' buoyant bodies, means for propelling said bodies along the guide into the vessel, and means for preventing the return of the bodies, due to the pressure of the Water.

4. An apparatus for raising sunken vessels, comprising a tubular guide or chute adapted to have its lower end positioned in the vessel, a quantity of buoyant vbodies and mechanism at the upper end of said chute for propelling said bodies through said chute air. ejecting them from the lower end thereof into the vessel.

5. An apparatus for raising sunken vessels, comprising a member a quantity of buoyant bodies constructed to receive and guide a column of said bodies, and adapted to have its lower end positioned in the Vessel, and feeding mechanism for propelling lsaid eolumn of bodies along the guide member, together with provisions whereby the bodies are caused to leave the guide at its lower end.

(3. Anapparatus for raising sull-aken vessels, comprising a member a quantity of buoyant bodies adapted to receive and guide a column of said bodies, a rotary feed mechanism having provisions for engaging said bodies and propelling them along the guide member, and means for driving said mechanism.

l'n testimony whereof I have allixed luy-sir; nature in presence of two witnesses.

MARSHALL JON 1Gb'. 

